Processing apparatus for photographic material



W. DYCK June 6, 1961 2,986,988

PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 21, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

WALTER D YCK w. DYCK 2,986,988 PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL June 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1959 P r r r I J I I z r I I I I I If INVENTOR.

WALTER DYCK June 6, 1961 w c 2,986,988

PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL Filed Jan. 21, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

WALTER DYCK BY W 4 4 w. DYCK 2,986,988

PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPI-IIC MATERIAL June 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 21, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

WALTER D YCK 2,986,988 PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL Filed Jan. 21, 1959 W. DYCK June 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

WALTER DYCK 2,986,988 PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL Walter Dyck, Munich, Germany, assignor to Agfa Aktiengesellschaft, Leverkusen-Bayerwerk, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Jan. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 788,101 Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 4, 1958 14 Claims. (CI. 9589) This application relates to an apparatus for processing photographic materials, for example, primarily for developing them, but also for fixing and for terminating the developing process; and more particularly relates to such an apparatus incorporating a channel connecting the upper and lower ends of the processing tank for circulating processing liquid from one end of the tank to the other.

Apparatus of the circulation type is superior to those which do not circulate the processing liquids because they more completely utilize the processing chemicals and shorten the treating period. However, heretofore none of these circulating types of apparatus have been able to completely uniformly treat or develop all of the materials being handled therein, such as negatives being developed, because of the variations in liquid velocity created within different areas of the tank.

An object of this invention is to provide a circulating form of apparatus for processing photographic material which provides substantially completely uniform treatment of materials such as films, negatives, plates, etc., which are distributed over the entire cross-sectional area of the tank as well as completely utilizing the reaction chemicals and maintaining the treatment period as short as possible.

In accordance with this invention, a reciprocating pumping system is mounted within the processing tank. This system includes a piston means inserted within the tank and including one-way valve means. This valve means is arranged, for example, to close upon upward movement of the piston means and to open upon downward movement of the piston means to pump liquid from the lower to the upper portion of the tank and in reverse through a circulating channel connecting the upper and lower ends of the tank. When this one-way valve means includes a number of one-way valves which are uniformly distributed over the cross section of the piston means, it induces substantially uniform upward movement of the liquid when the piston means is raised. When the piston is moved downwardly, the valves open which minimizes interference of the downwardly moving piston with the upwardly flowing liquid.

The closing characteristics of these individual one-way valve means may be made separately adjustable to permit the liquid velocities to be individually regulated at each separate portion of the cross-sectional area of the piston. This permits the velocities at each portion of the cross section of the piston to be uniformly regulated even though the processing liquid may enter the tank at only one localized area from the circulating channel.

In accordance with a particular embodiment of this invention, these one-way valves are constructed in the form of rotatably mounted flaps which reset under their own weight and in their closed position are maintained at an inclined angle to the direction of movement of the piston means. This permits the opening resistance to flow of each flap to be adjusted in a relatively simple manner by applying varying weights to them. It is also apparent that the resistance to flow of these flaps could also be adjusted by a variation in spring force applied thereto. Movement of the piston through the liquid may induce turbulence; and it is, therefore, suggested that a diffusing means made, for example, in the form of a grating be positioned in front of it .in the direction of liquid propelled from it. After passing through this grating, the flow induced by the piston means is substantially laminar.

The reciprocating movement of the piston means, whose throw is preferably adjustable, can be provided by a driving means including lobed cams formed in a spiral shape and mounted on a continuously rotating shaft. These cams can be used to raise the piston means which is then allowed to fall under its own weight. Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous to connect the lifting drive to the piston means by means of a frame extending above and laterally outward from the tank which is coupled to the piston means by connecting rods extending downwardly within the tank. The follower means connecting the drive from the cams to the piston means acts through a lever supported upon the frame through a one-way disconnectable drive to permit the frame and piston to be lifted from the tank without dismantling the follower means.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, means are provided for mounting the photographic material directly upon the frame attached to the piston, for example, by means of clips or an insert attached to the frame or inserted within. When, as later suggested, the movements at the upper and lower limits of travel of the piston are rapidly reversed in a jerky manner, the photographic material carried upon the frame is agitated to permit any excess chemicals deposited upon these materials to be loosened and carried off by the liquid flowing past them. This provides a highly thorough and uniform treatment which is considerably better than that provided by any known types of tanks including circulating systems, and the uniformity of treatment even surpasses that achieved in processing tanks in which there is substantially no circulation. To achieve the aforementioned uniform flow, the piston means should slide closely within the tank with a minimum play. When interchangeable pistons are used or when the tanks cannot be manufactured to accurate size to provide the aforementioned small degree of clearance or play, it is diflicult to maintain the required uniformity of flow. When this clearance reaches a certain upper limit, the liquid between the piston and tank wall is left behind when the piston moves upward and may even flow downward to form eddy currents and undesirable turbulence.

Further in accordance with this invention, an auxiliary pumping system is arranged within the circulating channel in a manner providing uniform velocities throughout the cross-sectional area of this channel. This pumping system is synchronized with the piston means and helps maintain the liquid pressure above and below the piston equalized at all times.

This helps prevent any liquid from flowing backward around the edges of the piston and also prevents interruption or interference with the flow of liquid when the piston moves downwardly. This auxiliary pumping system in corporating, for example, an impeller, is made considerably smaller than the cross-sectional area of the circulating channel to prevent it from interfering with the flow from the piston means and to help maintain the flow velocities within the channel uniform when thepiston is raised and lowered. Finally, it is suggested that the inlet for treating chemicals or liquid be positioned in the channel adjacent the auxiliary pumping system to allow the added liquids to be thoroughly mixed with the body of liquid in the tank by the auxiliary pumping system before they enter the tank.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partially cut away of a processing apparatus which is one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation, partially cut away in cross section, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing certain portions thereof partially broken away in cross section including a tank for adding liquid which is not shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another side view in elevation, partially cut away in cross section, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, some features other than those shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 3 along the line IVIV;

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower part of the portion shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the part shown in FIG 6.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a processing apparatus which is an embodiment of this invention includes a tank 1 having, for example, a rectangular horizontal cross section. This tank is connected at its upper and lower ends respectively through passages 2 and 3 with a bypass or circulating channel 4 having for example, a substantially oval cross section. Tank 1 and bypass or circulating channel 4 are structurally connected by bars 5.

An insert 6, as shown in FIG. 5, is disposed within tank 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Insert 6 includes, for example, an upper frame 7 and a lower piston frame 8 which are joined to each other, for example, by four connecting rods 9. The external dimensions of upper frame 7 are made larger than those of the lip of the tank to permit insert 6 in its lowered position to rest with frame 7 supported upon the reinforced upper edge or lip 1a of the tank. A lateral portion of frame 7, for example, formed by angular plates 10 projects downwardly along the outside of tank 1. These plates 10 terminate in rods 11 which slide within bearing blocks 12 attached to the sides of tank 1. The lower ends of rods 11 rest upon one end 13a of pivoted levers 13 which are rotatably mounted upon spindles 14 attached to bars 5. The other ends 13b of levers 13 contact reciprocating driving rods 16 which are maintained by insertion within bearings in sliding contact with cam plates 17 mounted upon shaft 18 which is rotated through reduction gear 18:: by an electric motor 18b. The lengths of reciprocating rods 16 may be varied by screwed couplings 16a to adjust the height of lift of insert 6. It is also apparent that downwardly extending plates 10 and rods 11 may be omitted if lever 13 is constructed to act directly upon frame 7.

When shaft 18 rotates at a relatively constant speed, rods 16 actuate levers 13 to transmit raising and lowering movements to tank insert 6 through rods 11 and plates 10. For example, insert 6 is raised and lowered twice while shaft 18 rotates only once. In this example, motor 18b only lifts insert 6 while it is permitted to lower itself to the support provided by the lip of tank 1 by its own weight when rod 16 slides off the peaks provided by the lobes of earns 17 which are formed in a substantially spiral for-m.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, bars 19, for example, of round cross section are supported between the side walls of piston frame 8 in a substantially uniform distribution. FIG. 6 shows \I-shaped longitudinal grooves 21 which are cut into bars 19 on both sides of a strip 20 which is allowed to remain between the grooves. Furthermore, annular grooves 22, for example, of semi-circular cross section are out about the circumference of bars 19 including that portion occupied by strips 20. Valve plates or flaps 23 are mounted to rotate about one of their edges disposed within groove 21 of bars 19. The other edge 24 of flaps or plates 23 is curved or bent upwardly to form a lip 24. These valve flaps also include holes 25 which are spaced to correspond with grooves 22 in bar 19, and plates 23 are accordingly connected to bars 19 by means of split links 26 shown in FIG. 7 which pass through grooves 22 and holes 25. The space a between the two free ends of split links 26 is made larger than the total thickness of a pair of valve flaps 23 and a strip 20 to facilitate assembly. When space a" is placed at the bottom of bar 19, flaps 23 and bars 19 are secured together for all practical purposes.

When tank insert 6 including piston frame 8 is moved upwardly, lips 24 of any two adjacent valve flaps 23 lie in contact with each other. This lifts the processing liquid which lies above these flaps in front of piston means 8. When insert 6 and piston means 8 are moved downwardly, flaps 23 are spread apart by the forces acting upon them from below which is created by momentum of the liquid which continues to flow upwardly with substantially undiminished velocity. When piston means 8 reverses its motion at the bottom of its travel, flaps 23 first remain open for a brief moment and then fall back into their closed position as shown in FIG. 6 under the influence of their own weight and the reaction upon them of the liquid above them in their path of travel. Projections 8a in the side of piston frame 8 provide an upper limit of travel for valve flaps 23 to prevent them from moving too far away from each other to permit rapid closure. Adjustable weights 8b are provided upon portions of flaps 23 remote from bars 19, for example, adjacent lips 24 to permit the forces governing the closing movements of the flaps to be varied over the cross section of piston means 8 to thereby uniformly regulate the flow throughout the entire cross-sectional area of pis ton means 8. Weights 8b are, for example, shown as triangular and also, for example, serve as impact plates to prevent projections 8a from damaging plates 23.

A flow regulator or diffuser 27, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 (out of assembly) is mounted above piston frame 8 in the direction of movement of the fluid pumped therefrom. Diffuser 27 is made, for example, in the form of a grating including vertically disposed strips 29 which smooth the fiow of liquid pumped upwardly by piston means 8 to eliminate turbulence and provide a uniform laminar flow.

Means are provided upon the upper edge of frame 7 for supporting material to be treated, for example, by hanging from transverse slots 30 on the upper surface of rim 7a of frame 7 as shown in FIG. 5. This material can be hung upon single rods resting upon pairs of slots 30 or upon an additional insert (not shown) which is formed as a material supporting frame. It should be apparent that besides film to be developed, photographic plates, paper or sheets of material for special photographic purposes can be supported from frame 7 and treated within tank 1 thereby.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a tube 31 is mounted at the upper end of circulating or bypass channel 4. Tube 31 is, for example, of round cross section and it is disposed within substantially along the longitudinal centerline of ova-l cross-sectional channel 4.

Tube 31 extends upwardly, for example, to upper plate 2a over passage 2. Furthermore, tube 31 has an open bottom and several apertures 32 substantially in line with passage 2. A shaft 33, upon whose end is mounted a 7 pump impeller 34, extends through plate 2a. Shaft 33 is, for example, coupled with the shaft of motor 18b or, as shown in FIG. 3, may be an extension and made in one piece with shaft 33 of motor 18b. The cross section of tube 31 is made considerably smaller than the cross-sectional area of by pass channel 4 to permit any differences in velocity between tube 31 and channel 4 to equalize within the space between their walls. An aperture 35 closed by a lid 36 is provided within passage 2,

and a filter 37 is thereby inserted into passage 2. Filter 37 is made small enough relative to the dimensions of passageway 2 and the liquid level therein to permit it to be bypassed and flowed over and about by the liquid if filter 37 should be contaminated and blocked. Filter 37 may be removed at any time through opening 35 and cleaned without wasting any processing liquid.

In FIG. 2 is shown a closed container 3-8 for adding new liquid for regenerating the processing liquid in tank 1. Liquid 38a in container 38 is conducted to channel 4 through supply duct 39, and a valve 40 permits the rate of flow to be regulated or cut off. A duct 41 connects air space 381; above the level of liquid 38a with the level of liquid in tank 1 held within a small chamber 42. This connection permits the liquid level to be maintained substantially constant within tank 1 since make-up liquid automatically feeds into tank 1 from container 3-8 when the level falls in tank 1. Since the liquid is introduced close to impeller 34, it intimately mixes with the body of liquid in tank 1 before it contacts the photographic material to be processed.

Heating and/or cooling devices may be conveniently installed within bypass or channel 4 or within either passage 2 or 3 in a known manner. These may be used to maintain the temperature of the processing liquid at optimum conditions. All parts which contact the processing fluid are preferably made of a material resistant to attack by the processing liquid and, for example, are accordingly made of an acid-resistant plastic.

Operation When shaft 18 rotates at a substantially constant speed, insert 6 including upper frame 7 and piston frame 8 is moved upward and downward in a motion which abruptly reverses itself in a jerky manner at the upper and lower limits of travel. This causes piston frame 8 to push the liquid above it upwardly in its upward portion of travel by virtue of the closed condition of one-way valve flaps 23 shown in FIG. 2. Diffusing grating 27 prevents the inclined surfaces of valves 23 from creating turbulence and provides a substantially uniform and laminar flow throughout all portions of the horizontal cross section of tank 1. This upward flow of liquid is not destroyed when piston frame 8 abruptly reverses its direction of flow and moves upwardly because flapper valves 23 rotate apart and permit the upward momentum of the liquid to continue its flow in an upward direction. Liquid is thereby continuously propelled upwardly through tank 1 to the upper portion thereof where photographic material is supported from frame 7. Movement of frame 7 upward and downward with piston frame 8 also agitates the photographic material within the upwardly flowing stream of liquid which greatly improves the rate and uniformity of treatment.

After coming into contact with the photographic material suspended at the top of tank 1, the liquid passes through passage 2 into bypass or circulating channel 4. The auxiliary pumping means provided by impeller 34 within tube 31 helps maintain a continuous circulating flow through the tank and circulating channel which is particularly helpful in avoiding the creation of eddy currents and turbulence when pumping frame 8 moves downward in a direction against the flow of the liquid being pumped. The influence of this auxiliary pumping or circulating system is particularly effective in preventing back flow and eddy currents from being created in the clearance space between the sides of piston frame 8 and tank 1 which might cause serious turbulence and nonuniformity of flow in the absence of the effect of this auxiliary pumping system. The magnitude of this potential source of turbulence becomes relatively great when there is quite a bit of clearance between the piston frame and tank such as that which occurs when interchangeable pistons are used, or which is inevitable as a result of common variations in manufacturing tolerances.

Since fluid enters the bottom of tank 1 at the relatively localized area in which passage 3 joins the wall of tank 1, the flow through different portions of piston frame 8 accordingly inherently tends to become nonuniform. However, means are provided for adjusting the closing rates of flaps 23 to help equalize the flow throughout all portions of its cross-sectional area. Variable weights, for example, provided by striker plates 8b may, therefore, be added to flaps 23 to cause valves in an area of inherently faster flow to close more rapidly which accordingly restricts this flow to equalize it with that through portions of the frame where fluid flows at an inherently slower rate.

This apparatus accordingly makes it possible to provide a remarkably uniform velocity distribution of rapidly flowing fluid circulating through a tank for processing photographic material.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing photographic material comprising a processing tank receiving said photographic material to be processed, channel means connecting the upper and lower portions of said tank, a pumping system for circulating a processing liquid disposed within said tank, said pumping system including a piston means insorted into the lower part of said tank below said photographic material to slide up and down within said tank, a reciprocating drive means for moving said piston means periodically upward and downward, and one-way valve means mounted within said piston means for permitting a free flow of liquid through said valve means during the downward movement of said piston means for pumping said liquid from the lower to the upper portion of said tank and in the reverse direction through said channel means during the upward movement of said piston means to circulate said liquid from one end of said tank to the other through said channel means.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a tank insert is mounted to slide up and down within said tank, the upper portion of said tank insert being constructed and arranged to provide support and guide means for photographic material being treated within said tank, and the lower portion of said tank insert providing said piston means.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one-way valve means is constructed and arranged in a uniformly distributed manner over the cross section of said piston means.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said one-way valve means includes a number of individual one-way valves, and said one-way valves are constructed and arranged to individually seat upon movement of said piston means in a direction opposite to the direction of flow through said one-way valves.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said one-way valve means incorporates rotatably mounted flaps which seat themselves by virtue of their weight, and said valve means are constructed and ar ranged to maintain said flaps in the closed position at an inclined angle to the direction of movement of said piston means.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein means are provided for adding weights to said flaps for adjusting the closing characteristics of said flaps.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein diffuser means are mounted upon said piston means on the side of said one-way valve means in the direction of flow therefrom to minimize turbulence within the liquid being pumped away from said piston means.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said reciprocating drive means includes rotating cam means, and follower means connects said piston means with said cam means in a manner permitting said reciprocating means to raise said piston under power and to allow it to fall under its own weight.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said piston means is a portion of a tank insert including an upper frame extending above and laterally outward from said tank and a piston frame disposed Within said tank, connecting means attaches said upper frame with said piston frame, said follower means includes lever means rotatably mounted adjacent the side of said tank, and portions of said frame means extend downwardly adjacent the outer sides of said tank in contact with said lever means for transmitting the upward and downward motion of said lever means to said upper and piston frames, and said portions of said upper frame means being constructed and arranged to permit removal of said tank insert from said tank without dismantling said following means.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said support and guide means are comprised of slots in said upper frame.

11. An apparatus as set forth in' claim 2 wherein said reciprocating drive means is constructed and arranged to provide abrupt changes in velocity of said piston means at its upper and lower extremities of travel.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein an auxiliary pumping system is installed Within said channel means for helping circulate said liquid in the direction of flow induced by said first mentioned pumping system, and said' auxiliary pumping system is constructed and arranged to provide substantially uniform flow velocities within the cross-sectional area of said channel means.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein an impeller is mounted within said channel means, and the cross-sectional area of said channel means is considerably larger than the cross-sectional area of said impeller means to avoid interference with liquid propelled therethrough by said piston means.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein inlet means for adding new processing liquid is installed upon a portion of said channel means substantially adjacent to said auxiliary pumping system to permit said new processing liquid to be thoroughly mixed with the body of said liquid before it enters said tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,266 Dieseher Mar. 27, 1900 1,888,435 Quackenbush Nov. 22, 1932 2,226,438 Moore Dec. 24, 1940 2,650,527 Caps Sept. 1, 1953 

